Forget Me Not
by TechnicolourObscurity
Summary: Claire has moved to Forget-Me-Not Valley after what happened in Mineral Town a year ago.What will happen when the thing she was running away from suddenely appeared in her town. How will Claire cope with her problem, and what really happened that night?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Light Years Away

I stood there, motionless for a long time, just staring into the ocean. I hoped to find meaning, or answers, or emotion, or anything within it. After a while Elli came down to the beach, found me and brought me home. I stayed silent all the way there. Later that night she stayed with me. I questioned her about the night at the Inn, she was silent for a moment and then explained how Cliff was depressed when he returned to the Inn, tried to drink away his misery, and how Ann took advantage of him. I asked her why she or Gray never told me, they apparently didn't have any time to get to me. Furious I was for I felt betrayed, but after a comforting explanation on the whole ordeal I calmed down. The next day I was told the same thing from Gray, but with a little more aggression on how if Cliff ever hurts me again to just go find him. At first I thought he was joking, but then realized, this was no time for humour.

A whole week had passed; it was time for Cliff and Ann to arrive back in Mineral Town. I did not go to the dock, or the Inn to see him, I didn't think I would have been able to handle it. Though of course Cliff had come to see me at my farm. When I opened the door to behold his face, I immediately slammed it back at him, though not locking it he walked right in. He tried to explain everything to me after I ask him about it, but soon change my mind; I don't want to know the answer. I screamed and yelled for him to get out and never return again, seeing resisting is futile, he began for the door but before he parted he mumbled that he in fact did not have Hemochromatosis, yet his sister did. With that he had left and indeed never did return to my farm.

It was hard to believe that only a week ago that day we had been in my living room comforting each other. That was the one major default with our relationship, withier it was actual feelings or just the need for sympathy. True to my word Cliff never did come back to the farm. I was working so hard that half the time I would forget to eat, and have a lack of sleep. One day I had passed out from exhaustion and was taken to the Clinic where Elli treated me. She warned me that if I didn't solve my problem fast I would suffer the concencious.

Everything was going in a spiral downfall, I had no control over my life; I was losing everyone and didn't know how to save them. Over that time I would spend time with Gray and Elli when had the chance but with the change of seasons farming became harder and harder. I couldn't handle it anymore, Elli and Gray would have helped but their own jobs were demanding enough, so that's what helped me decide to leave Mineral Town, and the fact that I could no longer bear to see Cliff for another day. As soon as fall arrived I went to see Mayor Thomas and explained to him about wanting to leave. He was disappointed, he had expected so much more, but I'm not here to please people, that's someone else's job. I then returned home and packed my bags. The following day I said goodbye to everybody and left for Forget-Me-Not Valley.

When I arrive I make my way to the farm but a boy on the roof of the local Inn catches my eye.

"I'm gonna jump Nami, if you don't admit you love me I will." The boy yells.

A boyish looking girl with a red bob appears beside me.

"Go ahead dumbass, there is no way I'm admitting to that." she yells back

All of a sudden a young looking girl with smooth hazel hair comes rushing over and knocks me to the ground.

"Rock you piece of shit, you said you loved me!" she exclaims.

Her, this girl and him! She doesn't look older than 14 let alone be involved with this kind of guy.

"Hey baby don't worry I still do, look I'll get down just for you" he explains.

He moves to get down but his foot slips and he ends up falling.

The young girl rushes over to see him.

"Ha, what an idiot." The tomboy chirps.

She turns to me and says,

"Hey, I'm Nami; you're new in town right?"

I nod. "I'm Claire, and yes I am. I used to live in Mineral Town but I decided to move here." I respond while extending my hand.

"Well it'll be nice to have a change in faces here." she mumbles and shakes it.

I'm surprised; the people here seem a lot more my type then those in Mineral Town.

"By the way, what the hell just happened?" I question.

"Oh this, this is normal. Rock that blond guy that fell from the roof he's a player. He thinks everybody here loves him but fails to see how much he hurts Lumina when she is obviously in love with him. That's the hopeless girl that rushed after him." She explains.

I don't fail to see the slight emotion in her eyes that is longing but don't question it.

"Lumina, she is of age isn't she?" I hopefully ask.

"Ha ha, yes she is. I know she looks underage but actually she's 20." She answers.

"Wow she's older than me!" I awe.

"How old are you?" she questions.

"19 but I turn 20 next week, how about you?" I say.

"The great age of 21." She sighs.

Just then Rock stumbles over to us and drapes an arm around Nami and I.

"You may run but you can't hide from me." he whispers into her ear.

"Rock, what the hell did you hit your head, I'm right here!" Lumina yells.

He completely ignores her and turns to me.

"Hey little cutie what's your name?" he slurs.

"This is Claire now will you go away." Nami says and unlatches his arms from us.

"Now now, don't get all snippy with me I just want to talk with the girl, wait you aren't thinking about stealing her from me are you?" Rock jokes.

Nami turns away and storms into the Inn, Rock starts to apologize profusely and chases after her, stumbling along the way.

"Oh well there they go again, I'm Lumina but you probably already know that." she states.

"I'm Claire, sorry to ask but does weird stuff like this happen all the time here?" I question.

"Unfortunately yes but it keeps us all going." She explains.

"Do you have a mayor or somebody around that I can clarify with?" I ask.

Lumina explains that Mayor Thomas, from Mineral Town, also is in charge of the Valley. She then told me that right across from the Inn is my farm where Takakura, an older man that lives on my farm should be who I should go to. After I got all of that sorted out I entered my farmhouse. It was small but relaxing and I think I'm going to like it here. I spot a phone on the table and pick it up to phone Elli, she has news. Elli mumbles a few words into the receiver and I stop dead in my tracks.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: He everyone sorry for not updating in a long time, I've been really busy with exams and research so without further ado, Chapter 2! **

Chapter 2: Clumsy

Marriage, Doctor Trent from Mineral Town proposed to her. I let Elli cheer and ramble on while trying to sound happy for her. I know that I should be but I can't help but envy her, for I am only human. After we hang up I sit on the couch staring into space, with no emotions at all. Why does this upset me so much? I ask myself, it doesn't affect me in any way. I then know the answer seconds after asking. Marriage, love, belonging, something that is so hazy to me, that I know so little of. Growing up, all my life, all I wanted was to belong, for someone to love and care about me. As a child my grandparents rarely showed love to each other, let alone to me. As a teenager I stuck out like a sore thumb always being the pushover. And even now with Ann in Mineral Town, but at least there I had Elli and Gray. Why is it that every time I try to start over I still find myself on the out? To me popularity could mean less but belonging is something we all want something that we will spend our whole lives searching for but may never find it because of our ever changing world. People, they tell you you're not good enough but who are they to judge because they are not on the receiving end of their words. Words those are so degrading, so potent that they sink deep into your heart, threatening to tear it apart.

After my interpersonal thoughts I decide to go to bed. When I wake I find myself surrounded by darkness and take a minute to realize where I am, my alarm clock reads 6:00 am and even thought I hardly slept I have to get up. I guess the sun doesn't rise until 6:30 in the valley, a somewhat interesting change to have to stumble around for the light switch. After I change I head out to the tool shed where I find a watering can, a hoe, a sickle, a hammer, an axe, and 2 bags of turnip seeds. When I left Mineral Town I had to return all my tools and it's good to know that I don't have to buy them. I head out to the dark field and start to farm. Takakura informs me that he has a cow for me; I end up spending most of the day on my farm work. As the day goes by I soon realise it's 5:00 and before going for dinner I decide to go buy some more seeds.

At Vesta's Farm I buy potato, cucumber, strawberry, and moondrop flower seeds. Exiting the store I hear an argument breaking out outside, as I round the corner I see Rock, a short brunette girl, and a tall black haired man.

"I swear to God Rock next time you go near Celia I'll rip your head off!" the man shouts while holding Rock by his collar.

"Come on Marlin, I was just having a little fun, calm down." Rock says.

"Please Marlin, please let him go!" the girl named Celia says.

"Ya man listen to your girlfriend." Rock persuades.

"You dumbass she's not my girlfriend but if I ever see you here again you'll regret it." Marlin says and the drops Rock to the ground.

Rock gets up and turns to leave but not before Celia offers to walk him home. Marlin then turns to me and I panic because I've been caught. He for some reason doesn't seem mad but says,

"Who the hell are you?"

"Claire, the new farmer." I answer coldly.

He stares at me long and hard and then asks,

"Do you want to get a drink?"

I don't know what came over me but for some reason I agree to go even though my past experience with alcohol was anything but pleasant. When we arrive at the Blue Bar, the local "club", we take our seats but I can't help but notice the sultry blonde waitress dancing rather unlikely for so early into the night. Marlin orders us both a Stone Oil and we sit in silence.

"You don't talk much do you?" I ask him.

"...No I don't see need to have to fill every living minute with noise, silence exists for a reason." He declares.

"And what reason would that be?" I question.

He sighs as if explaining his story for the hundredth time.

"People fill silence with words because they are afraid that if there is nothing to be said that people will not pay attention to them. When someone says something, anything, it is because they want someone else to know it, never for no reason." He explains.

It's quiet again and I start to think about what Marlin said. When I think back to my childhood my grandparents were so proud of their success and money that they would even sometimes brag to me about how when I leave them their going to go travel the world and live their lives the way they should. It almost seemed as if they wanted me to feel guilty for my parent's death.

"You really thought that out didn't you?" I ask.

"...Yes." he mumbles.

Our drinks arrive and Marlin starts right away, drinking it down like it is his lifeline. I then take a sip and it all escalates from there. One drink after another we consume, I start to think that maybe Marlin drinks to drink away pain, and for now it doesn't seem like a bad idea. Things start to become hazy and I slowly feel myself drifting off, far, far, away from Mineral Town, and Forget-Me-Not Valley, and from everything.

**A/N: Read and review thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Shake Me Down

I wake up and find myself in my bed, wondering if it was all a dream. I turn the lamp on beside my bad and see Marlin sleeping on my chair. I turn and see a glass of water and an aspirin beside my bed and wonder why they're there. After adjusting to where I am I see that Marlin is actually awake. I try to sit up and then groan, falling back in bed from my imploding headache.

"You should take that" he says gesturing to the medicine.

Without a word I carefully sit up and do as I'm told.

"How did I get here?" I ask and then turn to the clock which reads 2:05 pm.

"We were out drinking last night, you passed out after two drinks and then I carried you back here" he replies.

I'm silent for a moment, replaying the moments in my head, there all a little foggy and full of forgettable background conversations. Marlin notices my silence and then asks,

"You don't drink much do you?"

I pause, damn right I don't, every time alcohol is involved something bad happens to me but I'm not ready to tell him that so I just nod. He laughs to himself and I snap my head towards him and give him my best bitch face, who the hell are you to judge me are I think but don't dare to voice aloud. We sit for a few more minutes and I start to think that maybe he isn't so bad; silence is the only form of bliss I can get.

"I'm going to shower, feel free to stay though." I say

After I emerge from my steamy filled haven I quickly change before entering my room again but I can already feel that something is wrong. I turn the corner and see Marlin sitting on the floor, holding my journal from my first day in Mineral Town.

"What are you doing?" I yell, outraged and appalled when he doesn't even flinch.

Eyes never leaving the paper he says,

"Why didn't you ever continue writing in here?"

I don't give him an answer, instead storm over to him and rip the book from his hands.

"Wow, calm down." He says holding his hands near his chest in a form of surrender.

"What gives you the right? What gives you the right to go through my personal stuff?" I yell.

"I don't know, I didn't think it was big deal I mean you have a lot of different things in that box." He shrugs and scratches his head.

"Out" I say.

"But-"

"Out!" I repeat it louder this time.

"You know what fine, I was just trying to help!" he says and pushes past me and out the door.

When he's gone I kneel down to the ground and slowly lift the lid on the box from under my bed. How did he find this anyway I wonder. When I peer inside I see many things, childhood photographs, my old graduation cap, birthday cards, but one thing stands out from all of it. A dried, flower, pressed flat between a slip of paper. I am frozen for a moment as tears fill my eyes. I haven't cried in so long that they burn and fall from my face and onto the ground. I reach for the flower and hold it in my hand, I slowly and carefully I unfold the piece of paper and read my message.

Dear Claire,

I hope you never forget how magical this night was.

Never forget me

Cliff

My tears start to fall onto the paper, who knows how long I'd been staring at it. Idiot, like I could ever forget you. Even now when I try so hard to forget you still make it back into my thoughts, you're in everyone I see, everything I do. I knew you for only one year and somehow you got into my heart and dug yourself in so deep that I'll never know how to get you out. You stupid, stupid boy. Even though I've already slept for so long I curl up beside my bed and shortly after feel myself drifting off to sleep.

I awaken hours later, by a knock at the door. I get off the floor and when I open the door I'm in shock. Gray is standing there, I immediately fling myself into his arms and he holds me for as long as I can take.

"I missed you so much, how did you find me?" I ask breathlessly.

"I was delivering a package in town and asked a guy at the Inn who claimed he was a friend of yours, Rock I think his name was."

I internally groan at the mention of that name but ignore that and focus on the fact that he's really here. I honestly could never like Gray in a romantic way but having him here makes things a little better, instead of me locking myself away all night. Gray then puts me down but brings his hands up to cradle my face.

"Do you know how much I missed you, honestly, do you?" he questions.

I can only nod as I comprehend it all.

I invite Gray into my house and tell him to make himself at home. We talk about how Mineral Town has gone crazy and everyone is out of their mind, blindingly spending money left and right, partying at the Inn all the time. Gray even mentions how he moved into the spare room in the church with Carter and how Carters always up a 5:00am and paces around his room. We talk about Elli and the wedding, how Kai's still up to no good, and how the blacksmith is doing fine, but then Gray says something that strikes me odd.

"Cliff asks about you, to Elli and I. He asks about if your okay, what you're doing here, how you're mana-."

I cut him off with, "And what did you say."

"I tell him that you're fine and that if he really wants the answer to ask you himself."

Well it's now the worst possible thing he could have said but now I'm dreading the day, it if does come, for where I will have to talk to Cliff. Gray then looks at his watch and has to go. I offer to let him stay the night but he declines and says he needs to be at works early tomorrow.

We part with sad faces and long love filled hugs, and when he pulls away and turns to leave I feel a cold air hit me going to the very core of my body. I finally settle down in bed somehow completely exhausted from this day even though half of it was sleeping. I curl up with my pillow and slowly rock myself to sleep thinking about Cliff and Mineral Town and Elli's wedding but mostly Cliff. I cringe because the memories are too vivid and turn to face the wall, silence fills the house.

You stupid boy thinking I could forget, how could you forget our year, and all our memories and I can't. How could _you_ forget _me _Cliff.


End file.
